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Religion in the New Kingdoms
While not an entirely monolithic religion, most of the people of the New Kingdoms worship the same gods. The devotion shown to these gods can vary by class, piety, and personal feeling, but for the most part the gods provide a common understanding for the people as to how the world works. Since the elves taught the younger races the practices of piety and devotion, most of the names for the gods come from an ancient form of the Elven language and the worship is fairly standard across racial lines. Some variations do exist, mostly in extra honorifics a culture or profession might apply to given god or goddess. For example, high elves often call upon Lealani as Celirelen (Starbright Lady) to the point that some might assume the first name is unknown within that culture. The knights of New Eirdamni will invoke Mailhil with the appelation Llwyfen (swift hand) when going to battle. Dwarves have their own pantheon, but show respect to the pantheons of other races. Though their gods might be different, it bears no good fortune to get any god on ones bad side. Likewise, the nomads native to Yalanthia, while acknowledging the pantheon, tend to show more devotion to the lesser, totemic gods. They see Bear and Owl as being more relatable to their daily lives than the vague forces of storm and nature. ' ' Worship The people of the New Kingdoms often see devotion to any god as being one and the same, despite their different tasks in ordering the world. Most are dedicated to a specific patron, though there are different levels of patronage for nations, cities, families, and individuals - so that while the citizens of a city might call especially upon Tenali, a family within that city will just as often call upon Aris, and a child of that family might show a special devotion to Gavral. Still, when an occasion calls for a specific and urgent need, people will invoke the god most associated with that occasion for good favor - such as making an offering to Aelrid before going to sea. Though named, the dark gods are not often invoked, and those who show devotion to them do so in secret. No temple to Syrthyn will be found in the cities of the New Kingdoms, though one might find a shrine hidden away from somewhere. When the dark gods are named, it is usually as a form of swearing - “Syrthyn’s bloody balls” is a particular favorite among a certain class of people. ' ' The Afterlife When mortal creatures of the New Kingdoms die, their soul usually goes to the Halls of Toras to await judgement. Toras is known to be a stern judge, yet fair. He takes into account motivations and intentions instead of simply tallying a list of deeds - though even the most well-intentioned extremist will be judged harshly if they committed atrocities in the name of good. His wife, Silin, is said to be especially moved by those who show true repentence and penitence, even on their deathbeds, and has been said to intercede on the behalf of souls who show such, so that even some of the most infamous criminals have been accounted within her blessed halls. Those Toras judges to be worthy are sent to the idyllic lands of Silin. Those he deems unworthy are sent to Nakira, who is rumored to take a sadistic delight in meting out punishment to those in her realms. Occasionally, the two goddesses may dispute the judgement of Toras, in which case they are allowed a contest in which the soul of the disputed party may participate. This may be as simple as a game of skill or chance or might involve a quest through the other planes. In rare occasions a soul has been sent back to Rythia to show by its deeds just which goddess it truly belongs. ' ' Afterlife and Undeath There are times when the soul of one who has broken a particularly powerful oath or geas will not go into the Halls of Toras, but will rather stay behind on the material plain as a ghost or wight - the latter if the oath was broken as a betrayal rather than merely not wishing to fulfill the request. Such souls will finally be escorted into the Halls of Toras once either their business is finished or their form is destroyed. The disposition of souls for other undead creatures, such as vampires or liches, is more complicated. The soul of a lich is always bound to its phylactery until such time as the phylactery is destroyed. Vampires who voluntarily entered vampirism will retain their souls, while those who were forced into the state have their souls enter the Halls of Toras - the thing which animates their body is rather some dark spirit alien to this world, making use of the intellect and memories left behind in the physical brain. ' ' Institutionalized Religion The priest of a particular god or goddess shows a devotion to that deity beyond that of the usual populace. Such priests strive to be the physical embodiement of that god’s ideals. For this reason, the priests of different gods often have different character traits and priests of gods with conflicting traits are often at odds. Stern followers of Toras do not often have much in common with the capricious clergy of Gavral. Not all priests show such specific devotion, however. There are some priests of a more ecumenical bent who worship all the gods equally. Some of these priests are circuit riders, visiting villages and towns too poor to maintain a priest of their own, and perform the services required of that particular place’s patron. Others stay in cities, devoting themselves to religious studies of a more holistic bent rather than focusing on one deity. Almost all are very intelligent, a requirement for memorizing the many specific rituals for individual deities ' ' Places of Worship Many temples and shrines dot the landscape of the New Kingdoms. Every large town has at least one temple, dedicated to the patron deity, while more cosmopolitan areas have several, with the gods served being those important to the local area. Shrines are even more abundant, and each household usually has at least one small shrine where devotion to a deity is shown daily. The temples maintain a wide range of services, specified by the traditions of their deities. Most have at least a short service at each watch during the day, with one longer service either daily or weekly at the appointed watch - priests of Lealani are known to hold long (if sparsely attended) vigils at Midnight Watch. The faithful of the Kingdoms attend as little or much as their own pious inclinations lead. Regardless, it is almost always possible to find a priest at a temple, though one might have to rouse him from his sleep in the parsonage if they wish a particular service to be performed. Shrines and small chapels have a less rigorous schedule. Wayside shrines tend to see sporadic worship as passers-by come across them. Household shrines will see quick prayers and songs in mornings and evenings - though a particularly pious family might attempt to keep something like the cycle of services found at the temples, truncated for personal use. A village chapel will be used during festivals and perhaps weekly - services led by whatever local person happens to have memorized the most prayers and songs - and always when a priest of the local deity (or one of the more ecumenical priests mentioned above) happens to be passing by and can be prevailed upon. The more nomadic people of the New Kingdoms tend to have less formalized worship patterns. They might set up a small shrine along their migratory routes, ensuring to stop and pay homage to the god to which its dedicated. Often they will have a priest or shaman traveling with them, worshipping the gods as time allows. ' ' Clergy Temples of deities each have their own way of ordaining clerics. Most require a period of training of at least four years and at least a basic literacy. This training time is spent memorizing the complicated rituals and mythic poems associated with the deity in question. The training period can be as simple as an apprenticeship with a local priest or it can involve rigorous periods of intense education at a university associated with the temple. For the more nomadic worshippers, the training can involve the entirety of one’s youth. Often, a prospective shaman comes from the current shaman’s family, though at times a lad or lass that seems particularly in communion with the gods might be selected instead. Priests are an important part of the religious community of the New Kingdoms. While anyone can pray, sing a hymn, or offer a token sacrifice in thanksgiving for a god’s generosity, a priest is required for the more sacramental rituals. Even marriage, which can be performed in villages without priests by a community leader, must be recognized and the proper rituals performed as soon as a priest is available. ' ' Banned Religions and Practices While the New Kingdoms are very tolerant of other religious expressions, some forms of religious practice is prohibited, and worship of the dark gods is strongly discouraged. Most cities will not even allow a temple or public shrine of the dark gods, and the rituals many of these gods require- such as humanoid sacrifice- is illegal (for obvious reasons). Those who choose to worship these dark gods try and get around these restrictions in some way or another. Rumors of catacombs dedicated to Syrthyn or Nakira in the depths under prosperous cities are common, though the locations of such places - if they actually exist - is a closely held secret that only the most devoted followers of these gods know. ' ' Gods of the New Kingdoms Name : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : Alignment Domain Symbol ' ' Totems of the Nomadic Peoples Name Alignment Domain ' ' ' ' Gods of Dwarves Name Alignment Domain Symbol ' ' New Kingdoms Pantheon Jai: The god (or goddess) Jai is not actually worshipped by the peoples of the New Kingdoms. After creating the other deities and shaping the world, Jai disappears from the mythic cycles. Aelrid: Aelrid is the last of the Six Brothers. He rules over the seas. The patron god of sailors, he is invoked for fair travels. Aris: Aris is the daughter of Bromus and Valera and the goddess of bountiful harvests. She is especially worshipped in rural areas and farming communities, though many metropolitan areas will have a temple to her and a yearly festival around the fall equinox is mandated by the Temple. Asdeth: Asdeth is the god of pestilence and disease and final child of Syrthyn and Nakira. Bromus: Bromus is the chief sky god and brother to Mailhil. His first act was to herd the clouds (in the myths, clouds were originally white ewes and dark rams), fetch water from the sea, and rescue Valera who was dying of thirst in the wilderness of earth. Cafali: The first child of Syrthyn and Nakira, Cafali sows strife and discord wherever he can, seeking to expand his mother’s domain so that the earth can no longer contain it. Docthan: Docthan is known to be the most hospitable of gods. His origins are mysterious – while not listed as one of the Brothers, he also does not appear to be one of the Children, either. He merely shows up in the myths as if out of nowhere. He has no wife or children in any of the stories. Even his role among the gods is uncertain – while at times he can be a god of harvest, other times he can be a skilled warrior or a cunning master of trade. He often shows up when the other gods are in need of aid or shelter, always willing to lend a helping hand. Due to the diverse nature of his appearances, he can sometimes be overlooked by worshippers of the Temple – though those who do worship him are known to invoke him in almost any situation. Gavral: Gavral is the messenger of the gods and the most benign of tricksters. When not attending to his duties, he has been known to steal cattle from his brother Bromus and repaint them only to sell them back at twice their value when drought threatens the earth. Another time he took the sun when Mailhil wasn’t looking, hiding it behind Silin’s moon. Due to these tales he is often invoked during times of drought and eclipses. He is also the husband of Aris. He is the favored god of non-evil aligned rogues, bards, poets, rhetoricians, lawyers, and athletes. Hethras: The fourth daughter of Mailhil and Lealani, Hethras is the goddess of magic. Perhaps the most overlooked of the deities, Hethras’s main source of worship - the wizards - are now almost all agnostics or atheists. Some wizards contend that the only reason Hethras is given a place in the pantheon and has any temples at all is that the Benevolent Temple can claim power over wizardry in some fashion. Isha: Isha is the third daughter of Mailhil and Lealani. As the goddess of love, she is often praised and cursed in almost the same breath. She has been known to provoke wars and bring peace. Lealani: Lealani is the goddess of night and the stars. Her chief role is to hold darkness at bay while her husband sleeps. She is also the patron goddess of poets and bards and acts as a muse for inspiration. Llywam: The god of lightning and storms, Llywam is known to be whimsical and capricious. While mainly neutral toward the races of Rythia, Llywam is a fierce enemy of Syrthyn after the latter tried to steal the power of lightning from him. Mailhil: One of the first created gods (officially the first since the Seventh Council), Mailhil is the god of light and day, husband of Lealani, protector against evil, and leader of the gods. One of his first acts was to slay the original god of darkness, an unnamed dragon made of obsidian, and return with his scales to Jai. From these scales, Jai created the stars and made Lealani. Nakira: Nakira was once the goddess of all the realm of the dead. Seeking revenge for her wounded husband, Nakira attempted to steal the earth from Valera and wipe all life from its face. In retaliation, Valera caused the earth to open up and seal Nakira deep within its depths. Mailhil judged against Nakira and limited her in her duties, setting Toras over her as judge, and sending only the damned dead to her realms. Rathal: As the god of medicine and healing, Rathal is especially invoked by those seeking cures for their ailments. Rathal was once known to have many battles with Asdeth, before the myths were revised. Rathal is brother to Mailhil, Toras, Bromus, Gavral, and Aelrid. Silin: Silin is known by the Temple to host the hallowed dead. She is the daughter of Mailhil and Lealani. Originally the goddess of the moon, once Valera sealed the dead beneath the earth, Silin created a paradise for those her husband Toras judged worthy. Those on the doors of death are known to ask for her intercessions with her husband. Syrthyn: The original myths say that Syrthyn was a brother to the Six Brothers (making them Seven, at one point), and either older or twin to Mailhil. Winged lord of Air, ruling between the domain of Bromus and Valera, he was jealous of their marriage and their children. He wounded Llywam and stole his lightening, kidnapped Valera, and made war against Bromus, coming close to conquering Rythia from the sky to ground. The other gods came to Bromus’s aid and defeated Syrthyn, after which the god of sky clipped Syrthyn’s wings, sending him tumbling to earth. Vowing revenge, Syrthyn retreated into a cave where he met his wife Nakira. Tenali: Another daughter of Mailhil and Lealani, Tenali is the goddess of reason and wisdom. She is especially fond of scholars and those who seek to uncover that which was lost. Toras: The judge of the dead, Toras is feared and known for his power to send passed souls to the realm of Silin or the underworld. Toras cannot be bribed nor bought by any sacrifice, but can occasionally be persuaded to mercy by his spouse, Silin, so long as the deeds of the dead person in question were not particularly heinous. Valera: Valera is the earth goddess. Her marriage to Bromus resulted in the birth of the twins Llywam and Aris, bringing life to Rythia. According to the original texts of the Sacred Myths, Valera fought Nakira and sealed her domain of death beneath the earth. She is often called upon by warriors for protection in battle and besieged cities. Yapelena: The second child of Syrthyn and Nakira, Yapelena is the goddess of darkness and all creatures that prowl in the night, and sower of famine.